It was important for us to organise a march on this day, the International Women’s Day, in solidarity with the numerous other marches happening elsewhere, in order to highlight and bring attention to the struggles that women face everywhere. All around the world, women are marching to raise their voice against the violence that women face, and here today we are doing the same, together with other organisations, coming together as one force with the same vision in mind; that of making our world a better place for women.
In Europe, 1 in 3 women experience physical and/or sexual violence by a current or previous partner. In Malta, 15 women have been killed by partners or ex-partners in the last 10 years. This is why we cannot celebrate International Women’s Day, but rather, we see the need to speak up, keep fighting, and build new solidarity networks with all women, individuals, and organisations that refuse to tolerate abuse against women.
In fact, we positively note current efforts to strengthen Maltese legislation protecting victims of gender-based violence, as well as the educational campaigns being held to pave the way for a generation of people that understand that violence against women is unacceptable. However, there is an underlying culture of misogyny, which works through all of us; our institutions, our culture, which must be broken if we are to move forward.
We must also highlight the difficulties that Maltese women face as mothers and workers. In a society where rent and property prices have soared, together with low wages and the high cost of living, single mothers and women with abusive partners find it harder to build an independent living. Specific difficulties are also faced by trans women, as well as migrant women, who often lead precarious lives with heavy financial burdens apart from the risk of violence and abuse.
We have to do something now if we wish that the younger generation is to grow up in a better Malta, where any form of gender-based abuse will no longer form part of our lives. Everyone can do something. Let’s start by not tolerating sexism in our daily life. We call onto all women, LGBTQI persons and all individuals who feel the need to fight gender inequality to unify and raise their voices: Stop Violence Against Women Now!
This initiative has been organised by Moviment Graffitti, Gender Equality Malta – GEM, Men Against Violence, Women’s Rights Foundation, and Integra Foundation, and is supported and endorsed by the Department of Gender Studies – University of Malta , Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM), aditus Foundation, Żminijietna – Voice of the Left, Gay-Straight Alliance MCAST (GSAM), the A4E – Association for Equality, Dar Merhba Bik Foundation, General Workers’ Union – Youths and SOAR MALTA.
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Diskors 08/03/18
8 ta’ Marzu – Semma’ Leħnek Kontra l-Vjolenza fuq in-Nisa
Kien importanti għalina li norganizzaw din il-mixja f’din il-ġurnata, il-Jum Internazzjonali tal-Mara, b’solidarjetà ma’ bosta marċijiet li qed iseħħu f’pajjiżi oħra, sabiex niġbdu l-attenzjoni għad-diffikultajiet li n-nisa jiffaċċjaw kullimkien. Madwar id-dinja kollha, nisa qed jimxu fit-toroq u jsemmgħu leħinhom kontra l-vjolenza li għadhom iġarrbu u llum aħna qed nagħmlu l-istess, flimkien ma’ għaqdiet oħra, ħalli ningħaqdu flimkien bħala forza waħda bl-istess viżjoni: dik li d-dinja tagħna ssir post aħjar għan-nisa.
Fl-Ewropa, 1 minn kull 3 nisa jesperjenzaw vjolenza fiżika u / jew sesswali minn sieħeb preżenti jew preċedenti. F’Malta, 15-il mara nqatlu minn sieħba jew ex-sieħba tagħhom f’dawn l-aħħar 10 snin. Huwa għalhekk li ma nistgħux niċċelebraw il-Jum Internazzjonali tal-Mara, iżda nħossu il-ħtieġa li nitkellmu, inkomplu niġġieldu u nibnu netwerks ta’ solidarjetà ġodda man-nisa kollha, individwi u għaqdiet li jirrifjutaw li jittolleraw l-abbuż kontra n-nisa.
Mil-lat pożittiv, aħna nagħrfu l-isforzi li qed isiru bħalissa biex tissaħħaħ il-leġiżlazzjoni Maltija li tipproteġi lill-vittmi tal-vjolenza ibbażata fuq il-ġeneru, kif ukoll il-kampanji edukattivi li qed isiru biex iwittu t-triq għal ġenerazzjoni ta’ nies li jifhmu li l-vjolenza kontra n-nisa mhijiex aċċettabbli. Madankollu, għad hawn kultura mifruxa ta’ misoġinija, li taħdem permezz ta’ kull wieħed u waħda minna; permezz tal-istituzzjonijiet tagħna, il-kultura tagħna, li hemm bżonn li titkisser jekk irridu nimxu ‘l quddiem.
Irridu nenfasizzaw ukoll id-diffikultajiet li jiffaċċjaw in-nisa f’Malta bħala ommijiet u ħaddiema. F’soċjetà fejn il-prezzijiet tal-kera u tal-proprjetà għolew bla rażan, flimkien ma’ pagi baxxi u l-għoli tal-ħajja, ommijiet li jrabbu t-tfal waħedhom u nisa b’sieħba abbużivi jsibuha iktar diffiċli biex jibnu ħajja indipendenti. Diffikultajiet speċifiċi huma wkoll iffaċċjati minn nisa trans, kif ukoll nisa migranti, li spiss jgħixu ħajja prekarja b’ħafna piżijiet finanzjarji apparti r-riskji ta’ vjolenza u ta’ abbuż.
Jeħtieġ li nagħmlu xi ħaġa issa jekk irridu li l-ġenerazzjoni żagħżugħa tikber f’Malta aħjar, fejn kwalunkwe forma ta’ abbuż ibbażata fuq il-ġeneru ma tibqax tifforma parti mill-ħajja tagħna. Kulħadd jista’ jagħmel xi ħaġa. Nibdew billi ma nittollerawx is-sessiżmu fil-ħajja tagħna ta’ kuljum. Insejħu lin-nisa kollha, il-persuni LGBTQI u l-individwi kollha li jħossu l-ħtieġa li jiġġieldu kontra l-inugwaljanza bejn is-sessi biex jingħaqdu u jgħollu l-vuċijiet tagħhom: Inwaqqfu l-Vjolenza Kontra n-Nisa Issa!
Din l-inizjattiva ġiet organizzata mill-Moviment Graffitti, Gender Equality Malta (GEM), Irġiel Kontra l-Vjolenza, Fondazzjoni għad-Drittijiet tan-Nisa, u Fondazzjoni Integra, u hija appoġġjata u endorsjata mid-Dipartiment Studji dwar il-Ġeneri, Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM), Fondazzjoni aditus, Żminijietna – Voice of the Left, Gay-Straight Alliance MCAST (GSAM), Association for Equality (A4E), Dar Merħba Bik, GWU Youths u SOAR Malta.
